Union Pacific Corporation $UNP Shares Sold by First Merchants Corp

First Merchants Corp lowered its stake in shares of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) by 2.0% during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 5,994 shares of the railroad operator’s stock after selling 120 shares during the period. First Merchants Corp’s holdings in Union Pacific were worth $1,379,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNP. Highline Wealth Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Union Pacific by 103.5% in the 1st quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 116 shares of the railroad operator’s stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 59 shares during the period. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC increased its holdings in Union Pacific by 1,400.0% during the 1st quarter. CBIZ Investment Advisory Services LLC now owns 120 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 112 shares during the period. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 1st quarter worth about $32,000. WPG Advisers LLC acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the 1st quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Cornerstone Planning Group LLC boosted its position in shares of Union Pacific by 50.5% during the 1st quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 167 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $37,000 after acquiring an additional 56 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.38% of the company’s stock.

Union Pacific Price Performance

UNP stock opened at $232.72 on Thursday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.86. The stock has a market capitalization of $138.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.41 and a beta of 1.07. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $224.14 and its 200-day simple moving average is $224.57. Union Pacific Corporation has a 52-week low of $204.66 and a 52-week high of $256.84.

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 24th. The railroad operator reported $3.03 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.84 by $0.19. The business had revenue of $6.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.09 billion. Union Pacific had a return on equity of 41.73% and a net margin of 28.43%.The business’s quarterly revenue was up 2.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.74 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Union Pacific Corporation will post 11.99 EPS for the current year.

Union Pacific Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Shareholders of record on Friday, August 29th were given a $1.38 dividend. This represents a $5.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.4%. This is a boost from Union Pacific’s previous quarterly dividend of $1.34. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, August 29th. Union Pacific’s dividend payout ratio is 47.96%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts recently issued reports on the company. Citigroup raised Union Pacific from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their target price for the company from $250.00 to $251.00 in a research report on Monday, September 15th. Robert W. Baird started coverage on Union Pacific in a research note on Tuesday, July 1st. They set a “neutral” rating and a $231.00 price objective for the company. Sanford C. Bernstein increased their target price on Union Pacific from $271.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, July 21st. Jefferies Financial Group raised Union Pacific from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $250.00 to $285.00 in a research note on Friday, July 25th. Finally, Argus downgraded Union Pacific from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 12th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fifteen have issued a Buy rating and eleven have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Union Pacific currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $261.08.

About Union Pacific

Union Pacific Corporation, through its subsidiary, Union Pacific Railroad Company, operates in the railroad business in the United States. The company offers transportation services for grain and grain products, fertilizers, food and refrigerated products, and coal and renewables to grain processors, animal feeders, ethanol producers, renewable biofuel producers, and other agricultural users; and construction products, industrial chemicals, plastics, forest products, specialized products, metals and ores, petroleum, liquid petroleum gases, soda ash, and sand, as well as finished automobiles, automotive parts, and merchandise in intermodal containers.